


Little Brother

by Kaylee no Valerian (KayleeArafinwiel)



Series: The Story of Blanche no Valerian de L'Envers [4]
Category: Kushiel's Legacy - Jacqueline Carey
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, Gen, Original Character-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 18:54:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6919090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayleeArafinwiel/pseuds/Kaylee%20no%20Valerian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barquiel L'Envers has recognised his Night Court-born granddaughter as his heir - at least during his youngest grandson's minority. Now it's up to Blanche to look after her little half-brother; will their first meeting bode well or ill for the Akkadian-born future Duc L'Envers?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Brother

It was late in the day when the youngest son of Valere L’Envers (or Lugalin Valere-Shamabarsin) and Sinaddan-Shamabarsin finally crossed the border in his carriage, gaining the soil of Terre D’Ange, accompanied by his retainers. Not yet ten years old, Mirza Eskandar-Shamabarsin found himself with a new home and a new name; Lord Alexandre L’Envers.

He spoke fluent D’Angeline, of course – though it was heavily accented. His mother had seen him tutored in the language of her birth, as well as Cruithne and Caerdicci, though those he spoke less well. The boy wrapped his arms around himself, glad he was alone. No one would see him cry. He was so far from home…far from home, and expected to become heir to his grandfather. He knew the Duc L’Envers, who was after all ambassador to Khebbel-im-Akkad from Terre D’Ange; but it was one thing to be fond of his D’Angeline grandfather, and quite another to leave his own home for this one, to be expected to take up the reins of a land he knew only from stories and songs.

At least, he thought, he and his retinue camped outside under the stars, as was the wont of Akkadian travellers, rather than imposing on inns and making a spectacle of himself. In this way, they travelled from L'Agnace - their entry point - to Namarre, and when they crossed the Namarrese border, they were within L'Envers territory. An honour guard waited, and so they went in safety to the L'Envers mansion. The Duc was not there, of course - they had left him behind - but framed in the doorway, as the little prince was led up through the courtyard, he saw a woman who looked like a young version of Mother.

"Eskandar?" she asked, and hearing his birth-name from her lips after being called 'Alexandre' so long warmed him at once. "Sister?" he asked shyly in Akkadian, and Blanche gave him a nod, guiding him inside. After that, everything was a blur - afterward, all he remembered of that night was the luxury of the bath - such a bath as he had never had at home. That, and the sumptuous meal. He had never had such food before, he thought, only poor imitations, cobbled together from what might serve for his grandfather's table. A yawn made the little prince blush, and Blanche smiled sympathetically. "Come, brother. I will take you to bed."

As he crept between the sheets, Eskandar drifted off with a hopeful thought...

_Perhaps it won't be so bad here._


End file.
